July 30, 2015

How to Throw a Slumber Party

When I was growing up in the late 80s and 90s, slumber parties were the thing to do on Friday nights. My then group of girlfriends was known to have them regularly, each of us taking turns convincing our parents to host gaggles of silly giggling teens for the evening.

This was all before social media (thank goodness!) and the advent of today's technology, so I like to think that our shenanigans were pretty innocent. The activities varied depending on whose house we happened to be staying at.

My friend Cayce had a big rope swing that provided much outdoor amusement. At Beth's house, we played cut-throat games of Monopoly until the wee hours of the morning. And Lindsey's mom always made beignets for breakfast. But the central focus of most of the slumber parties I attended was something called "The Dance Game." We'd divide up into teams and choreograph dance routines to perform. We went all out with costumes, musical soundtracks, hair & make-up, the works. And all of this was done without iPods, without YouTube, without any way to even record that it happened.

Sometimes I long for those simple days. But there's nothing to say we can't re-capture some of the magic of it. Why not throw a grown-up slumber party for your best friends?

Summer is wrapping up as students where I live head back to school. I'm stopping by Fox43 to share some simple ideas for an "End of Summer Slumber Party." I hope it inspires you!

1) DIY Popcorn Station

What goes better with staying up all night gossiping than popcorn? I went to a lovely girls' night out party recently at the home of blogger Decorella and she set up a popcorn bar, complete with toppings of all kinds. I was so inspired by her idea that I decided to adapt it for a slumber party!

All you need is plain popcorn, oil spray and some different spices. Decorella Danielle used store-bought coconut oil spray to mist the popcorn before sprinkling on various spice toppings. Or if you happen to have an oil mister, that works too.

Some examples of spices to have on hand for your guests to try:

Cinnamon Sugar

Garlic Salt

Cumin

Italian Seasoning

Ranch Seasoning

Red Pepper Flakes

Lemon Pepper

Yum! Such a perfect slumber party snack!

2) Slumber Party Treats

Instead of spending your time in the kitchen, why not serve up some of your favorite old fashioned candy? Nobody really thinks about slumber parties as dinner parties....it's after dinner and late into the night when all the real fun takes place.

I had the most fun shopping for all my favorite candy that I enjoyed during my teens. Things I never eat now, but just for a special occasion like a slumber party.

Some old school candy to try at a slumber party -

Sweet Tarts

Nerds

Bubble Gum

Twizzlers

Cotton Candy

3) Girl's Night Spa Masque

As we get older, it's time we were taking better care of our skin. At the slumber parties of my childhood, I never thought about washing my face before bed. But now, it's a different story. To help ease the transition, why not try a DIY facial masque at your next sleepover!

Start with bananas for a simple mask, because they are inexpensive and really pack a punch for your skin. Not only do bananas contain Vitamin A to help diminish dark spots, blemishes and rough skin, but they also have Vitamin B and Potassium which may delay aging and moisturize. You can use bananas alone or with other key ingredients to really treat your skin's unique issues.

Here's the skinny on various combos to try -

Plain Banana (mashed) - Apply to face for 15 minutes and rinse with cold water to have more glowing, evenly toned skin.

What other ideas do you have for a memorable slumber party? I hope you are inspired to throw a slumber party soon! And when someone's bra or panties end up in the freezer, you'll know the party was a success!